The Runaway Success Of The Barefoot Shoe

With no traditional advertising to date, Vibram FiveFingers has grown from about 10,000 pairs sold in 2006 to 1.5 million pairs of shoes sold in the past year. (The original design introduced four years ago has since been tailored for sports ranging from yoga to kayaking.) Vibram USA President-CEO Tony Post projects that the numbers will double in 2011. Not bad for the funniest looking model since the Earth Shoe.

Long before the torrent of barefoot runners, Post stumbled onto the idea for the Vibram toe-glove. A longtime runner, he was training for a marathon in 2005 when he injured his knee and had to have surgery. After doctors recommended he stop running, Post decided to try out a prototype "barefoot" shoe developed by Robert Fliri and Marco Bramani (Vibram founder Vitale Bramani's grandson). The shoe wasn't created for sport, but after Mr. Post found himself running seven miles in them with no knee pain, he knew he was onto something.

Have a look at the company's site YouAreTheTechnology.com for some cool stuff about how the body naturally runs.

Fitness By Madge

In partnership with her manager Guy Oseary and New Evolution Ventures (NEV), Madonna has announced the launch of Hard Candy Fitness global gyms which will open in major cities around the world. The first Hard Candy Fitness is a 30,000 square foot space scheduled to open in Mexico City mid November in the exclusive Bosques de las Lomas area. Madonna, who has been reported to work out intensely as many as three times a day, will be there to snip the ribbon.

Madonna, rarely far from the gym

"Our goal is to create an environment inspired by Madonna's vision and high standards of what the ideal gym would be.  Hard Candy Fitness will be a reflection of Madonna's point of view and will reflect her input on every detail including music space, light and other design cues.  Madonna's touch will be everywhere," stated NEV Chairman Mark Mastrov.

Hard Candy Fitness will offer training methods including private, group and dynamic training including traditional classes such as Zumba, Latin Moves and Cardio Kickboxing as well as new programming designed specifically for the brand.  The fitness center will also include a Bike Studio, a Mind Body Studio featuring something called The Great Wall, where members can practice BarWorks, Sculpting, Capoeira and the newest trends in Yoga. It will also house a healthy alternative juice bar, or bar de zumos, depending on your time zone. The locker rooms, well, the locker rooms will be lavish.

Members will also have access to high-tech cardiovascular equipment with personal viewing screens, more than 60 pieces of strength equipment, free weights and the myriad group fitness, functional training accessories and brands including PreCor, Hoist, Free Motion, Nautilus, Hammer Strength, StarTrac, AbCoaster, and TRX suspension training.

No word yet on membership fees, first U.S. outpost, or the chances of Madonna leading arm-sculpting workshops or krumping classes.